How to Replace an Alternator on a 2003 Honda Accord S

by John Rose

It's important to be able to do any repair projects on your Honda Accord S yourself where possible. Otherwise, you'll pay high rates for labor at the repair shops. Replacing the alternator is something the average home mechanic can handle himself. The repair will take you just a little over an hour if you have no experience working on automobiles.

Step 1

Open the engine compartment and disconnect the negative battery cable. Use a wrench to loosen the nut.

Step 2

Loosen the adjusting bolt on the alternator with a socket and ratchet but do not take the bolt out. Push the alternator towards the back of the engine and pull the accessory belt off.

Step 3

Remove the power steering pump using a wrench to remove the bolts. Do not disconnect the hoses. Unplug the wiring harness from the alternator and then disconnect the main power cable using a wrench to remove the nut.

Step 4

Remove the bolts from the alternator using the socket and ratchet and pull the alternator out of the car.

Step 5

Put the new alternator in place and loosely install the bolts. Plug the wiring harness into the new alternator and then reconnect the main power cable. Tighten the nut with the wrench.

Put the power steering pump back on and tighten the bolts with the wrench. Put the accessory belt back on and tighten them by pulling the alternator to the front of the car. Tighten the adjusting bolt on the alternator and then the bottom bolt using the socket and ratchet. Reconnect the battery terminal and tighten the nut with a wrench.

Tip

If the belt routing diagram is not present in your engine compartment, note the proper routing before you remove the belt.

Warning

Always use caution when working with electrical components on your car. The only safe way to work on electrical components is to disconnect the battery.

Items you will need

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